Harp



H. WALLEN Aug. 15, 1939.

HARP

Filed Sept. 3o; 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l H. WALLEN Aug. 15, 1939.

HARP

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30, 1957 dilo: ne.

Patented Aug. l5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT @FP-CE Hans Wallen, SanJose, Calif. Application September 30, 1937, Serial No. 166,654

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a harp primarily of the table or Finnish type.

It is generally aimed to provide such a musical instrument of this typecapable of more universal use and adaptation to play substantially anykind of music, and particularly to provide for changing the key `duringthe performance.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the harp Figure 2 is a vertical sectionalView taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 4 4of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the harp with thesound board removed and Figure 6 is a detail 6 6 of Figure 4.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or similar parts, the harp has a suitably shaped hollowbox or casing as at I0, the top of which at II constitutes the soundboard and has a sound hole I2 therein. Within the box is a sound chamberI3 having a suitably mounted inner sound board I4.

Strings of the usual material are provided at I5 over the sound board IIand five of such strings are connected to each of seven bars I6 atopenings or the equivalent, I 'I thereof. The other ends of such stringsI5 are detachably secured in place by tuning pins I8 frictionallyengaged in sockets I9 of a mounting strip 20. An L-shape guard 2| isdisposed over the pins I8, the guard being hinged as at 22 to the box orcasing I0 in order that it may be swung to expose the pins. The stringscross a keyboard as at Illa to enable the different strings to be easilylocated.

Reverting to the bars I6, they are of L-shape since they have angulararms 23. Such bars are mounted to individually swing on axes transverseto the sound board. To this end, posts 24 rise from a shelf 25 formingpart of the casing or box I0. In each post 24, a screw 26 is threaded,whose inner end enters the adjacent end of the bars I6, to form. agimbal or pivot therefor. In addition, and as best seen in Figure 4,each bar section taken on the line I6 at the junction with its arm 23,has a recess or socket 27 into which a lug 28 of a bracket 23, securedto the shelf 25, extends, so as to form a second pivotal support for thebars.

Bolts or rods 36 are screw threaded at 3I to 5 the shelf 25 and extendthrough enlarged slots 32 in the arms 23, beyond which expansive coilsprings 33 surround the same and are held advjustably in place by meansof nuts 34 screw threaded on the rods 36. Such springs, there- 10 fore,maintain the sockets 2l and studs 28 in engagement, serving to preventdisplacement of the bars I6, and permitting rocking movement thereofthrough depression of the arms 23 adjacent their free ends, sinceclearance is provided as at 15 35 in the shelf 25.

Brackets 36 are provided on the shelf 25 and pivotally mounted thereinare studs 3l of tuning buttons or levers 38, one for each of the sevenbars. Such buttons 38 remain in any adjusted 20 position since expansivecoil springs 39 surround the studs 3l, bearing against brackets 36 andcotters or the like 45 on such studs. Buttons 38 have handles as at 4I,whereby they may be swung on the axes 37. Said buttons 38 have slots 25or cutaway portions as at 42 into which reduced extensions 43 of thearms 23 extend. The slots 42 have walls providing cam surfaces engagedby the extensions 43 so that through the rocking of the buttons 38, thearms 23 may be rocked in or- 30 der to vary the tension of the stringsI5 for tuning purposes.

Adjacent the buttons 38 is a detachable plate 44, screws 45 preferablyconnecting it to the casing I0. Said plate has openings 46 therein for35 the guidance of the buttons 38.

A wall 41 partly overhangs the strings and mounts an echo stop 48 forthe latter.

The buttons 38 correspond to the musical tunes C, D, E, F, G, A and B asindicated in the draw- 40 ings.

It will be realized that through shifting of the buttons 33 that the keyor pitch may be changed. Such shifting of the buttons tensions thestrings. Tightening thereof raises a semitone, shifting 45 again in thesame direction raises a semitone again. This makes the harp doubleacting. I find that the harp gives sweet, mellow tones, especially sincethere is a large air chamber. The 50 harp is so constructed that whenthe button is vertical, it gives a natural tune, when pushed to oneextreme, it makes all the Cs sharp in every octave and when pulled tothe other extreme makes all the Cs flat in every octave.

The present harp is played with the fingers like a concert harp.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall Within the spiritand scope of the in- Vention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a string adjusting means for a harp or the like, a bar to whichthe strings at one end are fastened, means pivotally mounting the bar onthe soundboard, spring means engaging and urging the bar to normalposition, and means operable lagainst the bar to vary its positioncounter to the urgency of said spring means.

2. In a string adjusting means for a harp or the like, a bar to whichthe strings at one end are fastened, means pivotally mounting the bar onthe soundboard, spring means engaging and urging the bar to normalposition, means operable against the bar to swing the bar counter to theurgency of said spring means, said means comprising a rotatable element,said element having a cam surface contacting the bar and movable againstthe latter.

3. In a string adjusting means for a harp o'r the like, a bar to whichthe strings are connected at one end, means on the soundboard pivotallyengaging the bar at one end, said bar having a notch, a pivot member onthe soundboard engaging the notch, a rod, the bar having an openingenlarged with respect to the rod and through which the rod extends, anexpansive coil spring engaging the bar and mounted on said rod, and

an element having -a cam movable against the bar to rock the same toadjust the strings.

4. In a string adjusting means for a harp or the like, a bar to whichthe strings are connected .at one end, means on the soundboard pivotallyengaging the bar at one end, said bar having a notch, a pivot member onthe soundboard en'- gaging the notch, a rod, the bar having an openingenlarged with respect to the rod and through which the rod extends, anexpansive coil spring engaging the bar and mounted by said rod, an armon said bar, an element having a cam surface engageable With the arm toshift the same to rock the bar, means pivotally mounting the arm, andfriction means to maintain the arm in different adjusted positions.

5. In a string adjusting means for a harp or the like, a bar to whichthe strings are connected at one end, means on the soundboard pivotallyengaging the bar at one end, said bar having a notch, a pivot memberengaging the notch, a rod, the bar having an opening enlarged withrespect to the rod and through which the rod extends, lan expansive'coil spring engaging the bar and mounted by said rod, an arm on saidbar, an element having a cam. surface engageable with the arm to shiftthe same to rock the bar, means pivotally mounting the arm, frictionmeans to maintain the arm in different adjusted positions, the camhaving a slot, one Wall of which `constitutes the cam, said armextending into said slot.

, I-IANS WALLEN.

